(If the waves meet. How dumb. Not
even Zen.) (As if I knew a lick about Zen—
it's a coin I'm spending)

(A ballad is deceptively easy to write.)
(As in deceit.)
(As in undeserved.)
(Cynicism reduces the charge of sadness.)

(Jane had heart disease, lupus, she was slow.)
(The fish drank too much.)
(France perfected goodbye.)
(Zen is all about waiting)
(Pathetic.)
(Parenthetically, my father
is standing by)
(that is, dying, after years and years)

(A ballad about a woman who lived on the smell of roses.)
(A ballad about very fat men.)